Archive: July 2016
In brief: Industry stays busy, Margolis passes away
July 29, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Although lawmakers are on recess, HME industry stakeholders have been holding strategy sessions on efforts to push through relief in non-bid areas.AAHomecare, VGM and the Council for Quality Respiratory Care, as well as other D.C.-based HME lobbyists met recently with Senate staffers who reaffirmed their commitment to get a delay to the July 1 reimbursement cuts when Congress returns in September, according to a bulletin from AAHomecare.Staffers indicated during the meeting that making...
Industry stays busy
July 29, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Although lawmakers are on recess, HME industry stakeholders have been holding strategy sessions on efforts to push through relief in non-bid areas.AAHomecare, VGM and the Council for Quality Respiratory Care, as well as other D.C.-based HME lobbyists met recently with Senate staffers who reaffirmed their commitment to get a delay to the July 1 reimbursement cuts when Congress returns in September, according to a bulletin from AAHomecare.Staffers indicated during the meeting that making...
CMS's mail-order program starts to show cracks
July 29, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - When Arriva Medical vanished from Medicare's list of mail-order diabetes contractors recently, it raised a few eyebrows.Arriva was rumored to have had its provider number revoked by the National Supplier Clearinghouse, but on July 21, it said the matter had been take care of.“There was a miscommunication/misunderstanding with the NSC, but as of today it has all been cleared up,” said Jackie Lustig, senior director of corporate communications for Alere, Arriva's parent...
Earnings: Invacare reports losses, ResMed reports growth
July 29, 2016HME News Staff
ELYRIA, Ohio - Invacare posted second quarter losses today, but remains excited as it continues to shift from a general DME company to one more focused on clinically complex care, says Matthew Monaghan.Invacare reported a net loss of $11.5 million for the second quarter of 2016, compared to a net loss of $8.2 million for the same quarter a year ago. For the sixth months ended June 30, it reported net losses $20.1 million.Net sales for the quarter were $275 million for the quarter compared to $286...
Q&A: Bob Soltis
July 29, 2016Liz Beaulieu, Editor
CLEVELAND - Spoken like a true lawyer, Bob Soltis' advice for HME providers working claims through the Medicare appeals process: be brief and be concise.Soltis, a former administrative law judge and the author of the recently published book “How to Handle Your Medicare Hearing,” spoke to HME News in the wake of the Department of Health and Human Services' proposed changes to the appeals system, an attempt to reduce a massive backlog at the ALJ level.Here's what Soltis had to say about...
NightBalance's position
July 29, 2016Liz Beaulieu, Editor
DELFT, Netherlands - NightBalance BV plans to use a recent EUR $12.5 million round of financing to bankroll a U.S. launch into the alternative sleep therapy market.NightBalance makes the Sleep Position Trainer, a device worn around the upper body that, once users turn onto their backs, gives them a gentle vibration, reminding them to change sleeping positions. The company says the device alerts users during lighter sleeping stages, minimizing disruption to their “natural sleep architecture.”Founder...
SMRC reviews on schedule
July 29, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The Supplemental Medical Review Contractor has completed 14,000 PAP reviews and is on schedule to finish all 30,000 PAP reviews by late September, says AAHomecare. The SMRC is expected to complete a total of 50,000 nebulizer reviews by the end of July and 50,000 oxygen reviews by the end of September. AAHomecare has also learned that Additional Development Requests (ADRs) for all three product categories have been sent out and some suppliers are starting to receive response letters from...
ResMed on growth 'trajectory'
July 29, 2016HME News Staff
SAN DIEGO - ResMed ended its fiscal year 2016 with double-digit growth and is on a “trajectory to be the world's leading tech-driven medical device company,” say company execs.ResMed reported revenue of $518.6 million for the fourth quarter compared to $453 million for the same period in 2015, a 14% increase. Revenue for the year was $1.8 billion.Revenue in the Americas was $324.5 million for the quarter, including Brightree revenue of $28.9 million. ResMed closed on its $800 million...
Deadline nears for Medtrade Spring proposals
July 29, 2016HME News Staff
LAS VEGAS - Proposals for Medtrade Spring are due Aug. 19. To be considered, programs must be educational in nature; material should be original; otherwise, sources must be referenced. For multiple speakers, each speaker must agree to the submission. Incomplete program submissions will not be considered. Sales presentations will not be accepted. Conference tracks include audits, business operations, competitive bidding, executive leadership, legal, Medicare updates, retail, sales and marketing and...
Invacare leadership steps down
July 28, 2016HME News Staff
ELYRIA, Ohio - Invacare Board of Directors members General James Jones, Michael Delaney will be leaving the board. “Jim, with his insights into government and international affairs, as well as his guidance on culture based on his years of leadership with the United States government, has been a great resource to our board,” said Matthew Monaghan, chairman, president and CEO, in a release. “Over the past 30 years, Mike has given the company invaluable insight into the consumers of...